Job applications: Snail mail, or e-mail?

[xanis]

I've been asking around about something and no one seems to have a right or wrong answer. I want to see what ATOT thinks about this.

When applying for job, if given the option to send your materials via snail mail or e-mail, which would you choose and why?

The dilemma, it seems, is this: Sending your materials through the mail might give you a better shot at getting noticed... however, it runs the risk that it would be more inefficient for the HR manager and would therefore get it thrown away or lost in the sea of applications.

So what does ATOT think?

 

[Tweak155]

Uh, e-mail? If you're a good fit for the job they should notice. And if they don't oh well.

I'd only send via mail if it some impressive sort of printing.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Email

 

[dullard]

I'm a fan of doing it in person. No better way to impress HR than to do it with your charms.

 

[D1gger]

Email. It makes it much easier for me to forward the resume to several people within my company for review. If it comes on paper, I may not even bother to copy and forward it.

 

[AreaCode707]

Most mailed resumes I've seen come in get read and then pitched. Emailed resumes are often uploaded into the recruiting system and become searchable.

 

[SilentRavens]

I guess this only applies for requisitions that are open "till filled":

I send in my application via mail.

An equally qualified applicant sends in his/her application via email.

The other application gets read, passed around for review, and the individual is interviewed before mine even arrives.

I see this as a competitive disadvantage, in short I have never sent a job app via mail and likely never will.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Most HR people (the worst people in the world BTW) will request resumes by email only, and will discard resumes from people who obviously can't follow this simple direction.

 

[mmntech]

Snail mail unless otherwise specified. Forces them to read it. They probably get a sea of email applications. I've never had much luck with those.

 

[coldmeat]

Snail mail unless otherwise specified. Forces them to read it. They probably get a sea of email applications. I've never had much luck with those.

maybe your resume just sucks

 

[ultimatebob]

E-mail. If you know who the hiring manager actually is, send it to them as well separate from the HR person.

Sadly, the HR department in most companies is a black hole where good resumes go to die. They have no clue how to read resumes for technical positions, and often end up shitcanning a bunch of good prospects because they can't understand what they're looking at.

 

[HybridSquirrel]

Most HR people (the worst people in the world BTW) will request resumes by email only, and will discard resumes from people who obviously can't follow this simple direction.

Most HR people are terrible, but some are really good people. My HR lady was smoking hot, turns out she drinks a lot of beer and eats a lot of steak.....and she hates all the other dicks who work in HR too...


Shes the only one.

 

[guyver01]

Email is of course faster.
Can your resume wait 3-4 days to get infront of an HR person? i dont think so..

 

[EagleKeeper]

Many large companies like to take a resume and electronic sift it for words so HR can compare to a project database.

When it comes in via paper; it can not be done that way.

If you know that the resume is directed to an actual person or a small company; then either will work. Many times they will just print and file it for processing.

Do not mail with fancy paper - it will turn off the HR person that gets the paper first.

 

[nageov3t]

I would only use snail mail if it's a small, local business.

email for any medium+ sized company.

 

[AreaCode707]

Many large companies like to take a resume and electronic sift it for words so HR can compare to a project database.

When it comes in via paper; it can not be done that way.

If you know that the resume is directed to an actual person or a small company; then either will work. Many times they will just print and file it for processing.

Do not mail with fancy paper - it will turn off the HR person that gets the paper first.

Bolded is key. I ran with the either/or scenario from the OP but honestly very few companies want a resume via email or mail nowadays.

My job right now is recruiting system implementation. Some companies are replacing their current applicant tracking system but others are replacing a manual process. You'd be amazed how complex recruiting processes can be, and how impossible it is to recruit well without a good system and candidate database in place.